Castles and Tangos in Halifax
by the time and the tide
Summary: Why is Caroline Dawson calling Richard Castle at 5 am in the morning?
_when fandoms collide, this happens. just a short AU, crossover of two lovely shows. enjoy._

 **Disclaimer: no copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

It was a rare morning, that's for sure. No calls, no body drops, no texts, no emails. Her phone had been blissfully silent since she'd fallen into bed late last night. She hadn't even bothered setting her alarm, positive the world would page her when it was ready. To have hours go by with not an electronic peep was practically a miracle. Another miracle was that Rick hadn't woken her up yet either. The whole room was as quiet as a tomb, and Kate was still sleeping the sleep of the exhausted.

It had been another marathon at the precinct. a string of murders had befallen joggers in central park, and no one could decide whether it was a serial killer, copy cats, or just really horrible coincidence. She and the boys had been manning the phones all morning. Detectives from precincts as far away as Brooklyn had even stopped in to pull a shift, give some of the weary Manhattan officers a much needed break.

She'd sent Rick off early in the day, when she'd been on the phone with her third concerned, yet completely unhelpful caller since they'd walked into the bullpen. He'd kissed her head on his way out while she'd tried to gracefully end the call, the moment she put the receiver down another had been right on its heels. She'd waved him off distractedly, reaching for the coffee he'd left near her computer.

They'd texted on and off during the day, but when things really started picking up in the evening she'd put her phone in her pocket and hadn't checked it until captain gates ordered her to get some sleep. Staggering home, Kate kicked off her heels and collapsed onto their bed, still in her suit and makeup. It just wasn't worth it to change, even if she'd had the mind to do so. The sinfully soft sheets and California king mattress in her boyfriend's loft were singing such a sweet lullaby she was asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

Hours passed and she'd slept in a dreamless sleep, which she planned to continue doing all morning if only she could turn off that damn music.

Where was the music coming from?

It sounded a little like an alarm, but with a bass line.

And electric guitar.

Wait, what?

What is that?

London calling?

Why in the world was _London Calling_ playing in their room?

Damn it, Rick.

Answer the phone.

Kate kept ignoring it, hoping beyond hope that the thing would turn off on its own. She resolutely kept her eye shut. If ever there was a time when she wished the the Force was real, it would be now. Not that she'd ever admit it to Rick. He'd never let her live it down. But what she wouldn't give to force choke Rick's iPhone right now.

The music suddenly cut off.

Kate breathed a sigh of relief, repositioning the covers around her shoulders and burrowing a little deeper into the pillow.

She was just teetering on the edge of sleep when the blast of tinny guitars pushed her over and she was jolted awake.

"Damn it, Rick!" she mumbled, fumbling for the phone currently blaring an 80's rock piece.

Kate kept her eyes closed while she thumbed for the button to shut the god-forsaken phone off.

Silencing the thing, Kate all but threw it off the bed, landing on the hardwood near Rick's side of the mattress. Part of her, a small angry and sleep-deprived part, hoped it broke. Serve the bastard right.

Kate fell back into her pillow with an angry breath, the silence of the room once more regained until a similarly tinny voice suddenly crackled beneath her.

"Richard!" a voice croaked. "Richard, pick up the bloody phone you idiot. I've been calling all morning."

Oh good. The Clash wasn't Rick's alarm. It was a ring tone.

Perfect.

And now that ring tone had turned into a voice. An angry female voice from the sound of things.

Kate rolled her shut eyes. Maybe the voice would go away. Hang up, she asked the universe. Please, hang up and let me sleep.

"Richard Alexander Rodgers, you can't hide from me. You accepted the call. Don't be a pillock." The voice seemed to be on a tirade, the pitch slowly rising as whoever it was began whipping up into a furor.

"If you don't answer me right now I'll call your mother. And we both know how well that'll turn out."

With this final threat, Kate rolled over to the side and felt for the phone, grasping it while the voice continued speaking.

This was getting ridiculous. Taking a deep breath Kate slapped the phone to her ear, "This is Richard Castle's phone. It's 5:45 in the morning. I don't know what a 'pillock' is but I'm sure Rick has been one in his life. Now, who the hell is this?" Normally Kate would refrain from swearing at someone she's never met, over the phone, but it is 5am and she's just about had it.

"Well, I'm sorry about the hour but please, just give the phone to Richard."

Why was Kate talking to this person?

"Listen I don't know how you got this number, but-"

The voice cut Kate off saying "Before you go, I'll give you a piece of advice, dear. Get up and get out of the loft. Richard doesn't care about you, he's hung up on some copper who doesn't know he exists and he's only using you to forget about her. So wake up, finish college and reach your potential."

At this point, Kate is well and truly awake. And spitting mad.

This has gone far enough.

"Listen lady I don't know who you think you are, but you obviously don't know Richard Castle. Don't call here again. I'm a police officer, I will trace this call, and I will find you and arrest you for harassment. Got it?" without waiting for a reply, Kate angrily ended the call, throwing the offending machine on the bed with disgust.

What in the actual hell just happened?

* * *

On the other side, about three thousand miles away, a phone call ended and the only word that came to mind was "shit."

Caroline closed her eyes in disbelief.

 _Shit._

Who was the pillock now?

Looking down, Caroline redialed the numbered and prayed it would be picked up.

 _Shitshitshitshitshit_ -

Of course, why pick up the phone? It's only a bloody family member calling.

Caroline looked through her contacts, scrolling to the A's and tapping the name she needed, sending up a prayer to whoever was listening that her niece would at least pick up the phone. A few tense seconds ticked by before the line clicked over and a cheery voice answered, "Aunt Caroline! Hi!"

Mouthing a silent 'thank you,' Caroline responded, "Hello Alexis! I'm sorry for the early hour, I hope I didn't wake you."

"No, no it's ok. I was up early anyway, studying you know. Finals are right around the corner."

Despite her anxious state Caroline couldn't help but smile. "Oh Alexis, I completely forgot. You're in your first year of university? Columbia? How exciting! And you're doing well, of course."

Caroline could practically hear her niece smile on the other end, trying and failing to keep a grin from her face. "Yeah, it's been a busy fall semester. But really good, I'm loving it!"

"You know we were all hoping you'd come over here to Oxford. Keep William out of trouble, maybe even read chemistry like your dear Aunt Caroline." There'd been a few months when all Alexis could do was chatter about was Oxford, about what a grand adventure it would be to study abroad with her cousin, already a year in, maybe even study science. Richard had been all for the science part, less so for the England part. He simply couldn't fathom his only daughter in an entirely different time-zone. But those thousands of miles from her family ended up being too much for Alexis's big heart, even if extended family was nearby and her father more than able to hop on a plane at a moment's notice.

Alexis's voice ended Caroline's thoughts. "What can I do for you Aunt Caroline?"

Back to the present it is.

"It's your dad. I tried calling him earlier today and couldn't get through on his mobile. Do you happen to have his land line?" A little white lie could hardly do any damage. The last thing Alexis needed was to play medic to Caroline's Herculean fuck-up.

"Hmm, that's weird. Maybe Dad is asleep, it's a little early for him! But lemme look. Dad hardly uses the land line anymore. That's more Gram's speed…" Alexis trailed off, ostensibly checking her contacts for the illusive number.

"Here we go," her voice seemed far away, as if holding the phone away from her face as she searched. "Ok Aunt Caroline, here's the number."

* * *

 _Nikki stumbled into the room, her gun slick with blood and hanging from the limp fingers of her left hand. Her heart felt like a pulsing weight in her chest, with each pump more blood leaked from the weeping wound in her ribs, past the cloth she'd pressed against it. As if there was no barrier at all._

 _She needed Rook._

No. Delete, delete, delete.

 _She wished Rook was with her_ -

Gah. No. Backspace!

 _Nikki knew Rook would come if she-_

A strident ring shattered the quiet of his office. Rick shrieked in surprise, throwing up his arms and falling out of the chair he'd been reclining in. Righting himself, he grabbed for the phone, which seemed to be covered in oil or something because he almost dropped it at least three times. Punching the accept button, Rick jammed it up to his ear. He held it there with his shoulder and breathed "Richard Castle."

A familiar voice responded with his name.

"Caroline, is that you?" What was Caroline doing calling this early? She knew the time difference as well as he did.

"Richard, I've been trying to call you all morning."

Rick looked around the desk for his phone. He swore he grabbed it from the nightstand when he got up this morning. With a free hand he patted the pocket of his robe and pajamas, thinking maybe he'd slipped it in somewhere. Nope, he must've left it on the table.

"Shoot, sorry Caroline. I didn't have my phone with me, I've been writing."

"Yes. I realize that Richard." Uh oh. Something happened. Caroline had that vaguely annoyed patronizing tone he'd heard before. Most of the time directed mostly at John—sometimes at him.

"Okay. Sorry coz." Hopefully she'd accept the apology and move on to tell him exactly why she was calling.

"Yes. So, here's the thing." That's it. The universe officially hates him. Bad karma, not enough fruits and veggies, he must have royally offended someone or something because any time Caroline Dawson has started a sentence with that phrase nothing good ever followed.

"I just called your mobile, and well, you didn't answer for a good ten minutes. Finally it connected and I may have said a few things to whomever answered when I thought it was you being your usual distracted self on the other end."

Crap.

"Crap."

"Shit, I believe is the word you're looking for." He couldn't agree more. "First off, you pillock! You didn't tell me you're with someone. It's Katharine Beckett, isn't it? That police woman you've been following around for years?"

Oh good. He knew he shouldn't have put off the monthly update call to the family. It wasn't like he was hiding anything. But it was all so new. Kate was new. What they had was new. He didn't want to spring more of his insane family on her. Mother was already enough insanity to last a lifetime. They needed this time for them, to work on this relationship; not worrying about what his crazy, extended family thought about his life choices.

"You talked to Kate?!" When. How. What?

"Yes I talked to Kate. Just now. When I was trying to reach you, you dozy sod. I thought she was some stewardess or college co-ed you were mucking around with. I put my bloody foot right in it before I realized who she was."

This morning just kept getting better. "Whoa, whoa Caroline, ok slow down. What happened?"

"You didn't answer, so I kept calling, I know how you get when you're writing. Apparently, Kate answered, and I didn't know who the hell she was so I may have given her some advice about leaving you and reaching her potential, and she responded… poorly, understandably but poorly. And then she hung up the phone." He could hear Caroline's anxiety mix with frustration over the line. Always a good sign from her.

"All right, well, don't worry about it. It's my fault. I should've told you sooner." What could he do except fall on his sword.

"I am sorry Richard. I've put my foot right in it." Caroline repeated.

"It's ok. Really, Caroline, don't worry. Why were you trying to reach me?"

"Well, good news as it happens." He could hear his cousin's voice perk up, happy have moved to a different topic. "You know Mother is with Alan, they met up in the summer and decided to get married?"

"Right, right, I remember Aunt Celia called Mother a while ago." Rick stood up and maneuvered around his desk, straightening up the mess he'd made when Caroline called. "Alan. She and Alan were a thing like what, fifty years ago? Before they moved to Sheffield, and the Rodgers and Armitage clans combined against the forces of evil?" Rick smiled at the memory. His aunt had called her sister months ago, he could hear her joy bubbling over into his mother and both women laughing and crying at the news. A long lost love reunited, spanning decades and damages hearts. Mother had been in a good mood for weeks after talking with Celia.

"Exactly. You know she and Alan had that falling, and he'd been in hospital for his heart. Anyway they worked it out and they've been fine since then, I know Mother called Aunty Martha after Alan was released and filled her in. Well, apparently, he and Mother got married months ago and didn't tell anyone. Now they've decided to put on a big do to celebrate with the family, and she's just come back from telling Aunt Muriel."

That was one family meeting Rick was happy to have missed. Aunt Celia and his mother had plenty of ups and downs in their relationship, sisters often do. But Martha was the youngest by far, and with Celia reigning as the eldest there was a certain understanding between the two. Oldest and youngest seemed to fare better than oldest and middle child, despite the fact that Celia and Muriel were related by blood while Martha was related only by marriage. In twos, the sisters got on well; add all three together and life got very interesting very fast. Which is probably why none of the three sisters had been in one room together for over a decade.

Rick whistled lowly at the news. Personally, he liked Aunt Muriel. She was a lovely woman, if somewhat of a one—she liked the attention. Maybe that's why they got on so well, Rick was known to like the spotlight himself now and again. But Aunt Celia and Aunt Muriel were often at odds.

"Poor Alan. How'd Muriel take it?" Rick took a drink of his coffee, making a face a the now-cold liquid.

"Just fine, I gather. But it took everyone prodding and poking her for a good week to get Mother to talk to Muriel. And I don't think she's even thought to ring Aunt Martha."

"Not that I know of," Rick answered. Martha couldn't have contained such news.

"Right well. So that's why I'm calling. Gillian and I—you know Gillian, Alan's daughter—have found a wonderful banquet hall in Harrogate for the reception and it's happening quite quickly." Caroline hardly stopped for Rick to agree that he did indeed know of Gillian, though he'd never met her in person. "You need to tell Aunt Martha to call Mother right away. You know how she can be about family, and after the…event with Aunty Muriel I'm sure Mother isn't in any rush to call your mum. So we need to get them together because I know she'd be heartbroken if she let history stop her from inviting Aunt Martha."

"Ok, right. Wow! That's amazing! I had no idea they were so serious. When are Celia and Alan getting married?" Surprise and joy mixed in his voice as Rick envisioned how happy his aunt must be.

"In a few weeks. I know it's short notice, but the hotel only had one opening until summer, and it's, well it's Christmas Eve. They've already booked the room and set everything up. Please tell me Aunt Martha will come over." Rick could hear a hint of pleading in Caroline's voice. Looks like there was a first time for everything.

"I don't know what Mother's plans are, but I can't imagine she'd miss this. I'll talk to her today, and make sure she calls Celia even if I have to get Aunty Celia on the line myself!"

"That's spendid, Richard. Thank you. Oh and also, you're more than welcome to come as well. Mother mentioned inviting you and Alexis last week when she'd picked up your book in the shops."

"I know Alexis would love to be there. Me too. Wouldn't miss it for the world." Rick smiled in response.

"And, Kate too if she wants." Caroline tentatively added. "Please tell her how sorry I am that our first official meeting ended with me accusing her of sleeping around."

Rick huffed a laugh. "Coz, she's heard way worse. And a lot worse about me, come to think of it."

Caroline laughed as well over the line, agreeing with him. Rick promised once more to drag his mother kicking and screaming to the phone if he had to that night, to get her and Celia on the phone together. Caroline agreed to keep Celia in her sights, and help facilitate as best she could. The both sent their love to the other's children, with a promise to email or text as soon as the flights were booked.

Hanging up, Rick breathed heavily. He had no doubt getting his mother to talk to her step-sister would be the easiest thing he'd do all day. Explaining why his cousin, from England, was calling at 5 am in the morning to his girlfriend who had no idea who the woman was–now that was going to be messy.

Kate was gonna kill him.


End file.
